The dog's lifespan depends on its size
On average, the longevity of a dog is between 11 and 13 years, all breeds combined. However, there are significant variations in a dog's life expectancy depending on its adult size, which is often determined by its breed.
So small dogs tend to live longer than large dogs. Some small dogs (5-10 kg) live around 14 years old, medium and large dogs usually 12-13 years old, and some giant dog breeds like mastiffs or great danes only 7-8 years old .The latter reach maturity later than the small ones, but they age much faster afterwards.
Brachycephalic dogs and toy dogs, exceptions to the rule
Toy dogs, which are very small-sized dogs generally weighing less than 5kg in adulthood, are however an exception to the rule stated above. Their life expectancy is less than small dogs and closer to that of medium dogs with an average life expectancy of 13.8 years.
Similarly, hypertyped brachycephalic dogs with very flat muzzles generally have a shorter life expectancy than other dogs, regardless of their adult size. Their particular morphology exposes them to breathing difficulties which tend to tire their heart prematurely and reduce their life expectancy as a result. Thus, French Bulldogs - who are small dogs - have a life expectancy that rarely exceeds 11 years.
The longest-lived dog breeds
A British study published in November 2011 ranked dog breeds according to their life expectancy. Unsurprisingly, in the top 5 dog breeds that live the longest, we only find small breed dogs with:
- the Poodle whose average life expectancy is 14.6 years,
- the Tibetan Spaniel, with a lifespan of 14.4 years,
- the Lhasa Apso, which lives an average of 14.3 years,
- the Border Terrier and the Cairn Terrier whose average longevity is 14 years
How old did the oldest dog ever live?
According to the Guinness World Records, the longest-lived dog died in 1939 at the age of 29 years and 5 months. This dog was an Australian cattle herder named Bluey and lived in Australia.
How to extend your dog's life expectancy?
When it comes to life expectancy, the size of the dog, its breed and genetic determinism are not everything. There are also various factors of individual variation as well as environmental factors and/or linked to the dog's lifestyle which also have a role to play in its longevity.
And, although it is not possible to protect your dog against all the vagaries of life and that there is no "magic formula" to extend "for sure" the life expectancy animal's life, we do know a few factors on which it is possible to act to put the odds on your side to keep your animal in good shape as long as possible alive by your side.
These include:
- good, balanced, quality food provided in the quantity necessary to meet the dog's nutritional and energy needs,
- the application of simple preventive measures to preserve your pet's good he alth and avoid pathologies that can be easily treated. These simple preventive measures include deworming, external parasite control, vaccination and, sometimes, sterilization,
- a coherent and respectful education of the dog in order to prevent and limit risky behaviors of the dog, likely to put his life in danger,
- maintaining the dog at its ideal weight in order to prevent the occurrence of overweight and obesity known to significantly reduce the dog's life expectancy (up to 2 years!). Maintaining a dog's he althy weight requires the distribution of a balanced diet in quantities adapted to the dog's needs and regular physical exercise,
- maintaining good "psychological" he alth of the dog in order to prevent anxiety, stress or the appearance of behavioral problems in the latter.This mainly involves a response to the various needs of the dog (need for physical, mental, social, masticatory expenditure) by the owner of the animal.